Within the framework of a business trip to Portugal, the delegation of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City led by the Vice Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc had a meeting with Porto Mayor Rui Moreira, VNA reported.

Ho Chi Minh City and Portugal’s Porto City on July 27 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the two cities in the 2023-2025 period.

At the signing of the MoU between HCM City and Porto. Photo: VOV

Under the deal, inked by Mayor Rui Moreira and Vice Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc, the two sides will promote collaboration in culture, tourism, economy, trade, urban upgrading, and heritage conservation.

They will create favorable conditions for football teams and clubs of the two cities to exchange and share experiences while encouraging local departments and agencies to increase cooperation.

Addressing the signing ceremony in Porto, Duc said he hopes the MoU will help bolster the partnership between the two cities, the two economic hubs of Vietnam and Portugal, especially in economy, culture, tourism, and innovation, thus contributing to promoting the ties between the two countries.

For his part, Moreira said he believes the deal will help form an effective economic partnership between the two sides and beef up bilateral cooperation on other fields, especially tourism and urban upgrading.

Speaking to the VNA, Moreira highlighted the traditional relations between Vietnam and Portugal as well as the growing bilateral partnership in recent years thanks to the strong economic ties between the EU and Vietnam.

Both Moreira and Duc pointed to similarities between Porto and HCM City and their cooperation potential, particularly in tourism, cultural heritage preservation, tertiary education, science and technology for the development of both cities.

While in Porto, the HCM City delegation visited Bolhão, an ancient market that opened in 1839, one of the important historical and architectural sites of Portugal that has been restored and expected to become a cultural and cuisine centre of the European country.

They also visited the projects to restore Matadouro ancient street of Porto to learn experience of the city in the work.

On the occasion, they also worked with the University of Porto, one of the 100 best universities of Europe, which ranks among the top 350 universities in the world.

The HCM City delegation visits Bolhão, an ancient market in Porto, Photo: VOV

In particular, Ho Chi Minh City organized the "Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City Festival in Porto" with the participation of more than 100 enterprises of the two countries with activities to promote trade, investment, tourism and art performances, thereby contributing to enhancing exchanges and cooperation between the two countries, including Ho Chi Minh City and Porto, according to NDO.

Also on July 28, the Economic Cooperation Forum between Ho Chi Minh City and Porto took place under the chairmanship of senior leaders of the two cities with the participation of more than 100 businesses from Ho Chi Minh City, Porto and European countries, economic and trade counselor of Vietnam in European countries.

This is an opportunity for businesses of both sides to learn about the investment and business environment of Ho Chi Minh City and Porto, make recommendations to leaders of the two cities and trade connections (B2B).

Mayor of Porto Rui Moreira was impressed with the agricultural products and the folklore of Vietnam. Photo: NDO

Within the framework of the Vietnam-Ho Chi Minh City Festival in Porto, there are also many special art performances held with the participation of more than 30 artists from the Hat Boi Art Theater, the Lotus Theater of Ethnic Music and Dance in Ho Chi Minh City and artists from Porto perform through July 30.

Coming to the festival, local people, as well as visitors, can experience a cultural space imbued with Vietnamese flavor with display areas and try on ao dai, display and arrange musical instruments, national costumes, and masks of singing boi, the making area with the guidance of artisans.

Besides, there is also the exhibition "Ho Chi Minh City - Development and Integration" which unique display areas of Vietnamese products and attractive tourist destinations.

The second largest city of Portugal, Porto is one of the oldest cities in Europe. The city's downtown area has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site.

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